Machine for softening sheep-skins



(No Model.)

v H. R. CHURCHILL.

MACHINE FOR SOFTENING SHEEP SKINS.

Patented Sept.

Wflsses I y a.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY ROLLS CHURCHILL, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK. v

MACHINE FOR SOFTENING SHEEP-SKINS.

QZ EGIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,138, datedSeptember 29, 1885.

Application filed March 16, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY RoLLs CHURCH- ILL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of NewYorlnhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forSoftening Sheep- Skins; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

The object of this improvement is a machine of simple economicalconstruction for rapidly and uniformly softening sheep-skins. Theseresults are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the drawingsherewith filed as part hereof, in which the same letters of referencedenote the same parts in the different views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a machine embodyingthe features of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line a; at of Fig. 1.

A A A A A represent beams of wood connected by any suitable means into aframe for supporting the parts of the machine.

B is a roller, made of hard wood or other suitable material, andprovided with diagonal recesses or grooves, as more fully shown in Fig.3, for the purpose hereinafter set forth, and also provided,substantially in the manner shown,with metal journals I), having metalbearings b, secured to the frame-piece A in the usual manner. Thesejournals Z) are extended through their bearings b.

O is a gear-wheel secured to one journal of the roller B, the oppositejournal of which is provided with a pulley, b", and a loose pulley, b i

B is a roller, made of hard wood or other suitable material, andprovided with diagonal recesses or grooves corresponding to those inroller B, and provided also with similarly constructed and connectedjournals b b which have their bearings in iron arms D D, pivotallysecured near their rear ends to a transverse rod, E, supported bypillow-blocks F, fixed to the frame-pieces A.

O is a gear-wheel secured to the journal 6 of the roller B.

H is a transverse rod supported by pillowblocks I, fixed to theframe-pieces A*.

G G are short levers secured to the rod-H in position to engage with thearms D D.

G2 is a lever fixed to the rod H in any suitable position, and connectedby means of a rod, J, with a treadle, K, pivotally fixed to a transverserod, L, supported by hangers M, secured in the usual manner to the lowerpart of the frame-pieces A.

P is a foot-board secured to the treadle K for operating the same, andis provided with a set'screw, N, for the purpose of regulating thedownward movement of the treadle K.

R is a shelf secured to the frame-pieces A for the convenience of theoperator while handling the skins. The teeth of the gear-wheels O O aremade longer than usual, in order that the roller B may be lowered aboutan inch away from the roller B for the introduction of the sheep -skinswithout disengaging the gear-wheels, which would change the relativepositions of the rollers B B and prevent their diagonal recesses andelevations from promptly intermeshing.

In the operation of the machine the skin is placed between the rollers BB. The treadle is then moved down in order to force the skin more orless into the diagonal recesses of the rollers, when it is allowed tomove halfway through the same, after which the pressure is taken fromthe treadle, when the skin is disengaged and the other half treated inthe same manner. The relative position of the skin to the diagonalblades may be changed as often as may be necessary to repeat theprocess, and thus overcome the hard ringy condition characteristic ofthe skins in a raw state. The crimping effect which the rollers willhave on the skin will not require more than a half-minute to giveauniform softness to those in the worst condition.

Having explained the construction and operation of my improvement, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

In a machine for softening sheep-skins, the In testimony whereof I affiXmy signature in combination of the diagonally-grooved ro1lpresence oftwo Witnesses.

ers B B, provided with earin CO the arms D D, levers G GG ,rod H,1inT J,andtreadle HENRY ROLLS CHURCHILL 5 K, all constructed substantially asspecified, Witnesses:

H. E. SAFFORD, 1 r O. E. SHEPHERD.

and arranged to operate as and for the purpose set forth.. 7

